


Alley Cats ~ Tails of Lucy and Raph

by MissMoMo1990



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: TMNT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2018-08-17 07:31:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8135584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMoMo1990/pseuds/MissMoMo1990
Summary: (2k3 Turtles) Short drabbles of Raph experiencing all the perks and pains of cat ownership.Note: A follow up to my one-shot piece Alley Cats)





	1. Chapter 1

_Hssssssssss!_

Ears laid back and fangs bared, Lucy crouched close to the floor. Her white fur was puffed out which made her look about two sizes bigger than she actually was. Across the kitchen was the source of her distress: Klunk.

The orange cat displayed equal aggression, snarling at the new pet who had dared to intrude on his turf. Inch by inch, he crept closer to his adversary. Lucy fearlessly stood her ground and switched from a hiss to a growl to warn him to stay away. Pausing, Klunk swished his tail as he considered his options for a brief moment then charged forward.

Lucy met him halfway and they crashed together to form one big, hairy ball of fury. Claws slashing and teeth biting, they rolled around the floor, each beast trying to gain the upper hand. Chair and table legs were bumped and moved, but still they fought on. At last, Klunk pinned Lucy on her back and he snipped at her neck while she kicked at his belly with her hind paws.

"Hey!"

Startled by the sudden shout, the two cats froze instantly as Raphael hurried towards them.

"Klunk!" the sai-wielder scolded, shooing the male away with a wave of his hand. "Leave her alone, ya little jerk!"

Klunk issued a final hiss and darted under the table. Stooping, Raph picked Lucy up and cradled her to his chest as he carefully inspected her for any injuries.

"Ya okay there, pretty girl?" he cooed, smoothing down her fur. "It's okay. Yer safe now." Lucy began to purr, rubbing her cheek against his plastron, and he smiled. Turning, he continued to soothe her while he carried her out of the room. "I ain't gonna let that big bully hurt ya…no ma'am…"

XXXX

_"In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight..."_

Raph rolled his eyes at the television monolith. How Leo had managed to con him into watching this cheesy 90s romance movie together was beyond him. He turned his gaze left to where Leo was seated beside him on the couch and shook his head in disbelief. The fearless leader was completely enraptured by the happenings on screen, his brown eyes twinkling merrily and a soft smile on his face.

"How can ya be so fascinated by this stuff?" Raph wondered, gesturing at the collection of screens. "Ya know these kind of things don't happen in real life, right?"

Leo didn't even spare his brother a glance. "They can, too."

"Yeah right," Raph snorted. "Never knew ya was this big of a sap."

"He says while his adopted cat is purring in his lap…" the leader retorted.

Raph looked down at Lucy who was indeed curled up on top of his thighs and napping. Lifting his right hand from the couch cushion, he scratched behind her ears before he began to pet her. Lucy purred louder.

"That ain't sappy," Raph protested.

"Uh-huh."

"It's not!"

"Whatever," Leo said, grabbing the remote and thumbing the volume button. "Now shush and watch the movie."

Raph scowled, but complied while absentmindedly petting Lucy. Several minutes passed before he felt compelled to roll his eyes again. No sooner had he done so than Lucy jerked her head up and stared intently over the edge of the couch into the shadows where the light from the televisions didn't reach.

"What's wrong, Luc?" Raph asked, his hand stilling on her back. "Huh?"

Lucy gave a short meow and tilted her head like she was trying to hear better. Without warning, she shot out of her owner's lap and leapt over the couch's armrest to disappear into the darkness.

"Ah!" the sai-wielder cried out as the cat's claws marred his flesh. "Dammit, Lucy!"

"Are you okay?" Leo questioned, finally tearing his attention away from the TV.

"No, I'm not okay!" Raph snapped and pointed at his left thigh which had several long scratch marks that were oozing blood. "Look at this!"

Holding back a sigh, Leo paused the movie and rose from the couch, motioning for his brother to do the same. "Come on, let's get you patched up." Raph was grumbling curses under his breath as he got to his feet and followed the leader. "What was she after anyway?"

"Hell if I know," Raph muttered, pressing a hand over his stinging skin. "Cats are weird."

XXXX

A long, hot shower was probably Raph's biggest guilty pleasure. He loved the rain of water falling over him, washing the grim from his skin and easing the ache in muscles. Fifteen, twenty, thirty or more minutes could pass before he'd towel off. Not today though. Today he was being rushed by a creature less than a quarter of his size.

_Meow!_

The cat's cry was followed by frantic scratching at the bathroom door. Raph tried to ignore it by working up a lather on the sponge he held in his hands. When the amount of soapy suds was adequate, he started scrubbing at his shoulders.

_Meooooooooow!_

Growling in annoyance, Raph poked his head out of the shower to glare at the door. He saw a white paw appear beneath the door, searching for something to sink its claws into. Finding nothing, the paw retreated and the scratching resumed.

"Cut it out, Luc!" Raph hollered. "Yer gonna get me in trouble for scratching up the door!"

The noise outside stopped. Satisfied, Raph retreated beneath the stream and continued his cleansing ritual. He was halfway through polishing his plastron when the door rattled again as tiny paws tried to push it open.

_Meow! Meooooooooow!_

Throwing the sponge to the floor, Raph quickly rinsed the suds from his body and turned off the taps. He yanked the shower curtain aside and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. Water dripped off his skin as he marched across the bathroom. With a forceful twist of the handle, he opened up the door.

"What do ya want, ya furball?" he asked, frowning down at his pet.

Lucy had a look of innocence about her as she stared up at the wet turtle. Rising from her haunches, she padded into the bathroom and briefly surveyed the surroundings. That done, she strolled over to Raph, curled herself around his ankle, meowed, and ran back out the door.

Raph felt his right eye twitch. Leaving the door wide open, he retraced his steps to the shower and shed his towel. The hot water tap creaked and groaned as he opened it full blast. Retrieving his sponge, he began scrubbing at his shoulders again while muttering to himself.

"Bratty little cat…"


	2. Chapter 2

Raphael was guilty of a lot of things.

Impatience, obstinacy, thoughtlessness, belligerency, arrogance, impulsivity.

But one trait that he was rarely called out on was snoring. The privacy of individual bedrooms built with thick, solid walls kept the raucous sound he produced late at night well contained, leaving the rest of his family undisturbed.

Not today though.

Today, Raph's snores echoed freely across the lair. They originated from the couch where the big lug had fallen asleep watching TV shortly before noon. As irritating as the noise was, no one dared disturb Raph. He needed the rest after the severe beating he had taken during their fight with the Purple Dragons last night. Instead, Splinter and Mikey both retreated to their rooms, Don relocated to the garage, and Leo returned to the dojo in order to find some peace.

That had been hours ago though and Mikey couldn't put off his supper preparations any longer. Closing his bedroom door carefully, the orange-masked ninja began to tiptoe towards the kitchen. He couldn't help but aim an annoyed glance at his still snoring big brother as he passed by the couch. What he saw in those few seconds made him stop abruptly and backtrack a few steps for a better look.

Raph's left forearm was cast in hard plaster and tucked safely into a sling. Bandages covered a stitched wound that ran the length of his right thigh. Another scar graced his battered plastron. His face was heavily bruised and his lips were scabbed over in the few places where they had broken open and bled. Even in slumber, Raph looked every bit like the fierce warrior he was.

Or at least he would have if not for Lucy.

The white cat had draped herself along Raph's right shoulder with her head resting underneath his chin. His good hand rested on her belly and her fluffy tail had curled around his arm. It was obvious that Lucy was snoozing and her contented purr could be heard intermittently between Raph's snores.

Mikey hastily clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from gushing at the sheer adorableness of the situation. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out his shellcell and activated its camera. He checked that the flash was off then snapped a few pictures.

"Michelangelo, you better not be trying to wake Raph up!" a voice suddenly whispered from behind, making the youngest turtle jump. He whipped his head around to find Donatello staring at him disapprovingly with his hands planted firmly on his hips. "I told everyone he needs extra rest today and you know he's always super cranky when someone disrupts his sleep! I'm not going to be able to talk him into taking more pain meds if you agitate him!"

"I'm not doing anything to Raph!" Mikey protested as quietly as he could. Lifting his right hand, he waved his other brother over. "Come look at this!"

Brows furrowed with suspicion, Don joined the youngest and leaned over the back to the couch to peer down at his patient. The corners of his mouth twitched upon seeing his rough and tough sibling cuddling a soft kitty while he slept.

"Aren't they adorable?!" Mikey squealed. "I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to take a picture of this!"

"Shhhh!" Donnie hushed, jabbing an elbow into Mikey's side.

"Oh, come on, Don!" the jokester said while rubbing at his assaulted ribs. "Listen to Raph sawing those logs! Nothing's going to wake him up!"

"Don't push your luck," the genius cautioned. "You've already woken Lucy."

Mikey's gaze shifted from Don down to the feline. Her purple eyes were wide open and she seemed to be glaring up at the new arrivals. A low growl rose in her throat and her tail flicked sharply.

"Aww, Lucy, I'm sorry," Mikey quietly apologized and reached down to soothe her with pets. Quick as a flash, Lucy swiped her claws across the back of his hand and hissed. Gasping in shocked pain, Mikey hastily withdrew his fingers. "Ow!" He inspected his stinging skin, frowning as drops of blood began to seep from three long scratches, then held his hand out to Don. "Look what she did!"

"I guess Lucy doesn't like it when someone ruins her nap either," Donnie mused, surveying the damage done to Mikey's hand.

"She's definitely Raph's cat," Mikey grumbled. "Though I don't know how she can sleep with that ungodly sound right next to her ears."

Shaking his head in amusement, Don started leading his little brother to the medical bay. "Maybe now you'll learn to leave well enough alone. Let's get those scratches treated."

Mikey glanced at Lucy one last time, sticking his tongue out at her, and hustled to keep up with Don. Lucy waited until their voices could no longer be heard before laying her head back down. Raph's snoring faded momentarily and his fingers gently massaged her belly. Lucy closed her eyes slowly, her purrs resuming as she drifted back into slumber.

A minute later, Raph's snores rumbled forth once more.

XXXX

"Hey now, little miss, what did I tell ya about walking on the stove?"

Lucy meowed her objections as Raph plucked her from the stovetop and placed her on his shoulder. Crossing the back of his neck, she settled on his opposite shoulder and watched anxiously as he returned to the sink to finish cleaning her water dish. Impatient, she pawed at his cheek.

_Meow._

"I'm getting yer water," Raph told her. "Hold yer horses."

_Meoooow._

Wiping the bowl dry with a paper towel, Raph filled it with fresh, cool water and shut the tap off. He carried it over to a spot to the left of the door and carefully set it down on a placemat that was designed to look like a pawprint. While he was stooped over, Lucy hopped from his shoulder to the floor and waited until he straightened back up before she would approach the bowl. She gave it a tentative sniff then sat back on her haunches and looked up at Raph expectantly.

_Meow!_

"I know, I know!" the hothead responded, tossing his hands up as he turned and headed back towards the cupboard next to the sink to pull out a bag of kibble. "I'm getting yer food now, okay?"

Lucy trotted after him. Purring, she wove in between Raph's legs while listening to the pieces of dry food fall into her food bowl. Raph put the bag away, picked up the bowl, and started his next journey across the kitchen.

"Ya'd get yer food a lot faster if ya'd stop trying ta trip me," Raph declared, dancing around his pet to keep from accidentally stepping on her as she continued to dart around and underneath his feet. "Come on…move yer tail outta the way…"

The eager cat rushed ahead and turned in a circle as she waited for Raph to catch up.

_Meow-ow!_

"Here ya go, yer majesty," he said, setting the bowl on the mat before her.

Lucy chirped happily and immediately began to feast upon her offering. Pieces of kibble scattered all over the placement in her haste. Shaking his head, Raph let her be and went to prepare his own breakfast.

He settled for cereal and took a seat at the table with a heaping bowl of the stuff. Picking up yesterday's paper, he perused the police blotter while spooning food into his mouth. Not three minutes later, his peaceful meal was interrupted.

_Meow?_

The reading material shifted and rustled as Lucy brushed herself along the opposite side. Letting the top half of his newspaper flop down, Raph arched a brow at the feline who was now crouched before him.

"Are ya supposed ta be on the table?" he asked her. Tilting her head, Lucy meowed a reply. "No, yer not." Raph waved a hand at her to shoo her off and lifted his paper back up. "Go on and play if yer done eating."

_Meow._

More rustling and a paw appeared below the bottom of the paper, reaching around for something.

"Lucy…" Raph warned, watching her claws catch on the rim of his cereal bowl and pull. "…don't ya do it…"

_Meow._

He was a second too late to stop the bowl from tipping over when Lucy yanked her paw back. Milk flooded the tabletop, spilling over the edge. Raph's lap was covered instantly. Eye twitching, he cast paper aside and shot to his feet, milk and pieces of cereal slipping down his legs.

"Lucy, ya little snot! Quit doing that!"

But the cat was already gone. Raph looked to the door just in time to see a long, white tail disappearing through it. Facepalming, he grumbled profanities to himself for a few minutes before going in search of the mop.

XXXX

Raph sang along with the song playing on the radio as he pulled his collection of motorcycle magazines from the top shelf of his bookcase that he knelt before and placed the on the floor. Grabbing the dust rag, he ran it along the emptied surface and cleared away a film of filth. Then he wiped the shelf a second time, making sure he got deep into the corners.

The sai-wielder was halfway through the weekly cleaning of his bedroom. He was a neat-freak who disliked clutter and firmly believed that everything had a proper storage place whether it be the items in his room, the weights in the dojo, the utensils in the kitchen, or the tools in the garage. His brothers ribbed him about it, suggesting that he was borderline obsessive compulsive, but he never let that discourage his tidy habits.

As the song faded out and the radio station went to commercial, Raph whistled the melody while he cleared the various books from the middle shelf. He didn't notice Lucy had entered his room until he felt her furry body rubbing against the side of his leg. His whistling faltered and he reached down to scratch his fingers along her back.

"Hey, Luc," he greeted, smiling down at her. The feline allowed him to pet her for another minute then moved to sit in front of him. It was then that Raph noticed she had something in her mouth. "Whatcha got th-…"

He didn't get to finish the question. Lucy had been hunting and she wanted to share her prize with her turtle companion. She dropped it in his lap and looked up at him with pride. Raph needed all of a second to figure out what it was: a half-dead, still twitching cockroach.

"Ahhh!" Raph's eyes widened in terror and he swatted madly at his thighs in an attempt to get the bug off of him. He scrambled backwards, knocking over his stacks of books and magazines in the process. "Ahhhh!"

Tail swishing, Lucy stared at him in confusion.

"Ahhhhhh!" His yelling intensified as the roach began to roam around in circles. "Ahhhhhhh!"

Raph made it to his feet just as Leo burst into his room.

"What?!" Leo asked frantically, rushing over to his little brother. "What's wrong?!"

"KILL IT!" Raph hollered while shoving Leo towards the crawling cockroach and taking another step back. "FUCKING KILL IT!"

Moving quickly, Leo snatched up one of Raph's magazines and rolled it into a weapon. He took a moment to adjust his aim and swung. The leader struck true and the roach became immobilized. To ensure that the bug had met its demise, Leo proceeded to smack it a few more times. Not a single creepy limb twitched again.

Straightening, Leo turned back to Raph, struggling to hold back his laughter. "Are you okay?"

Raph's face was still twisted with panic and he was breathing heavily. Shaking his head slightly, he pointed his index finger at his brother threateningly. "Not one damn joke. Ya hear me? Not. One. Damn. Joke."

"Why not? Would that bug you?" Leo asked, his mouth curled into a toothy smile. He flinched and held his hands up in surrender as Raph's fingers formed a fist and the larger turtle growled. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!"

"Out!" Raph ordered, his eyes flashing as he gestured towards the door.

"Are you sure you don't need my assit-ants anymore?" Leo teased as he edged towards the door.

"...Leo…I'm gonna crush ya ta the ground…" Raph swore.

The katana-wielder dodged the sai-wielder's lunge and bolted out the door, calling back over his shoulder. "Can't we _bee_ friends, Raph?"

"Ya better hope ya can run fast!" Raph shouted as he gave chase, leaving his very puzzled cat behind.


	3. Chapter 3

“Damn, Lucy, I don’t understand how ya ain’t bald from all the shedding ya do.”

              Raph grumbled as a cloud of fur burst from his pet when he picked her up off the floor. The long, white strands trailed behind him while he walked to the couch and sat down with her in his lap. Lucy objected with a loud meow and tried to wiggle from his grasp.

              “Ah, ah, ah, no,” he scolded, tightening his grip just enough to maintain his hold but without hurting her. “Ya need a brushing and yer gonna get one, ya fur butt.”

              Lucy meowed again, her tail flicking back and forth sharply. Hooking a finger under her collar for extra security, Raph grabbed her brush from the arm of the couch. He stroked the bristles slowly and gently down her back. The tiny beast made a noise low in her throat that sounded more like a whine than a meow. On the second stroke, Raph felt the tension ease from her body and on the third, she relaxed entirely.

              “Yeah, ya act like you don’t like it, but I know better,” Raph said as Lucy began to purr.

              Over and over, the sai-wielder passed the brush from the top of her head to the base of her tail, gathering up the loose hairs. Lucy rolled onto her side and stretched her limbs to their furthest extent. Chuckling, Raph paused just long enough to pull the buildup of fur from the bristles before he began brushing along her side. The fingers of his free hand scratched at her belly and Lucy purred even louder.

              “Look at this!” the pet owner exclaimed as he pulled a second handful of cat hair out of the brush. “I ain’t even halfway done and I already got enough fur ta make another one of ya!”

              _Mrrreow!_

              Twisting her body, Lucy presented her other side for grooming.

              “Yer right, Luc, I couldn’t handle two of ya,” Raph admitted, continuing his task. “One diva in this household is enough.”

              _Meow! Meow!_

“Oh-ho, don’t you try ta deny it!” he scolded. “Not when ya refuse ta eat any food that ain’t Fancy Feast or since ya won’t sleep in yer bed unless yer blanket is laid across it just right.” Pausing, Raph gently touched his forefinger to the end of Lucy’s nose which made her meow again. “Yer spoiled rotten kitty-cat.”

Lucy purred deeper and rolled to her back. As Raph passed the brush along her tummy, she latched onto it with her front paws. The turtle tried to tug it free, but her grip stayed firm.

              “Let go,” Raph ordered, frowning down at his pet who flicked her tail back and forth, clearly under the impression that they were playing a game. Her back paws lifted to kick at the underside of Raph’s arm, scratching up his skin. “Lucy! Stop that!”

              A soft swat on her rear put an immediate end to Lucy’s shenanigans. With an indignant meow, she jumped out of Raph’s lap and stalked off, tail held high.

              “Get back here!” the sai-wielder called after her. “I ain’t done with ya yet!”

              Raph rose from the couch to recapture his pet, but a strange sensation made him pause. He glanced down to find a layer of fur covering the length of his thighs. The soft hair tickled his bare flesh. Growling in annoyance, Raph tried to brush it away only to have it cling to his hands.

              “Lucy!”

XXXX

 

              “ _Ahem!_ ”

              Raphael rolled his eyes as the utterance was repeated a third time with more emphasis than its predecessors. He didn’t have the patience to keep pretending that he couldn’t hear it. Lowering his wrestling magazine to the tabletop, he aimed a glare at the source of the noise: Michelangelo.

              “What?” the hothead asked snippily.

              Mikey was standing on the opposite side of the table while holding a silver cakepan in both hands. Now that he had his older brother’s attention, he set the bakeware down and slid it over to Raph.

              “Look at what your cat did!” Mikey demanded angrily, crossing his arms over his chest.

              Catching the pan before it toppled to the floor, Raph spared a look at its contents. He immediately identified the dark brown substance as brownies and had just started to wonder why that was supposed to be so spectacular when he noticed two deep indentations that were almost dead center of the chocolatey concoction. After a few seconds of inspections, Raph realized that the marks were in fact paw prints.

              “What makes ya so sure Lucy did that?” Raph questioned. Frowning, he pushed the ruined treat back at the younger turtle. “Did ya forget that ya got a cat, too, doofus?”

              “ _My_ cat is well-behaved!" Mikey insisted. “ _Your_ cat is the trouble-maker!”

              “ _Your_ cat is the one that shredded Master Splinter’s shoji, knocked half a dozen beakers off Don’s lab bench, threw up all over Leo’s bed, and pulled down the shower curtain while I was inside it!” the sai-wielder retorted, standing from his chair. “And that was just in the last two weeks! I could fill a book with all the trouble Klunk has caused!”

              “…well…this time he’s innocent!”

              “Prove it!”

              “You prove that it wasn’t Lucy!” the younger ninja rebutted as he pointed a finger at his brother.

              “I taught her ta stay off the table and kitchen counters!” Raph declared. “So unless ya got video evidence, Lucy didn’t do it!”

              “Neither did Klunk!”

              “Oh, so those pawprints just magically appeared in the brownies, did they?”

              “Yeah, magically appeared under Lucy when she stepped in them! Do you have any idea how much work I put into making these?!”

              “Get over yerself, Mikey! I know ya made ‘em from a damn box!”

              _Rrrrrreoooow!_

Their fight was suddenly interrupted by the screech of a very angry cat. Both brothers’ heads turned towards the door in time to see Lucy dart through the entryway at full speed with Klunk right behind her. The pair of felines ran a frantic lap around the kitchen. Then Klunk chased Lucy up the side of the kitchen counter, over the stove, onto the table, and through the pan of brownies, leaving four new prints in additional to the original two. Clawing her way up Raph’s arm to his shoulders, Lucy peered around the back of his neck and hissed at Klunk who had stopped short of the big turtle. The orange beast watched his white-furred foe intently, growling lowly in his throat while his long tail flicked back and forth.

              “Dammit, Klunk!” Raph swore, rubbing at his right arm which was now oozing droplets of blood in half a dozen places. “Leave Lucy alone, ya mangy fleabag!” He swiped a hand at his pet’s attacker. “Get outta here!”

              Klunk dodged the swat and leapt to the ground. He was about to dash out of the room when he was scooped up by Michelangelo.

              “Hey! I don’t try to hit your cat!” he protested indignantly as he held his pet close.

              Raph reached up to comfort his own cat. “Lucy doesn’t terrorize Klunk like he does ta her!”

              “No, she just leaves pawprints in brownies and tries to get Klunk in trouble for it!”

              “She wouldn’t have run through them if he hadn’t been chasing her! And that don’t prove that she did it the first time!”

              “Yeah, it pretty much does!” Mikey shouted, his forehead wrinkled with anger.

              “No, it don’t!” Raph shot back. “I’m warning ya, Mikey!” He gestured first at his sibling and then at Klunk. “Ya keep that little spawn of Satan away from my girl or else!”

              Turning on his heel, he marched from the kitchen with Lucy riding on his shoulder, oblivious to his little brother sticking a tongue out at his shell.

 

XXXX

 

              Lucy jumped as the slamming of Raph’s bedroom door startled her from her nap high atop his bookshelf. Miffed at having her slumber disturbed, she watched from her perch while her owner paced the floor, throwing objects at random and speaking angrily to an apparently invisible person. She meowed in reproach when he overturned his weight bench with a great clatter and shouted one final curse at full volume before slumping against the far wall and sliding to the floor.

              Tailing swishing, the feline cocked her head and continued to observe the mutant terrapin. She could sense that something was amiss with him and it piqued her curiosity enough to lure her to the ground. Her steps were silent as she trotted across the floor and sat down on her haunches right next to him. Lucy waited patiently for Raph to notice her, but after several long minutes he had still failed to lift his head from his arms. Placing a paw on his thigh, she quietly asked for his attention.

              _Meow?_

              Raph’s head jerked up at the sound. He looked to the side and found Lucy staring up at him. Reaching out with his left hand, he gently stroked the space between her ears.

              “Hey, Luc,” he greeted in a voice choked with emotion. “What’s up, pretty kitty?”

              _Meow?_

Lucy could see the moisture building in Raph’s golden eyes and the wetness sliding down his cheeks. She had witnessed him exhibit this misery before and it made her own eyes wide with sadness. Her priority now was to console the ninja she had come to know and love.

              _Meow._

Climbing into Raph’s lap, Lucy placed her paws high on his chest and nosed at his chin. Something between a sob and a laugh escaped Raph. With careful hands, he adjusted her so that she was cradled in his arms up near his shoulder where she liked to nap and held her close while a fresh wave of tears leaked free.

              “Least I got ya, Lucy…” Raph whispered hoarsely as he stroked her soft fur. “…it’s us against the world, ya know…”

              Lucy started a steady purr, nuzzling into the crock of Raph’s neck. Her right paw extended and landed on Raph’s left cheek where it proceeded to pat gently at his face for a minute before coming to a rest.  Eyes closing slowly, she easily succumbed to the notion of soothing the hurting Raphael with a long cuddle session.

              “…just like a pair of alley cats.”

             

             


End file.
